Columbus police collect winter coats for kids in annual drive

Columbus police officers collected hundreds of winter coats Friday afternoon to distribute to kids in need across the city this holiday season.

The division partnered with AEP Ohio and the Starfish Assignment, a local nonprofit that partners with volunteers and law enforcement to help those in need, to collect coats.

This is the fourth year the Division of Police has hosted the coat drive. It began at the suggestion of Columbus police officers, said Starfish Assignment Founder Nicole Banks.

“Patrol officers told us what they needed most was to be able to hand out winter coats to children, because they frequently saw children wearing only sweatshirts on the coldest days of winter,” said Banks.

Officers and volunteers sorted through hundreds of black, blue, purple and pink coats in dozens of sizes at the Columbus police Precinct 1 substation near Westerville. Donations from Macy's and AEP Ohio helped purchase the new coats.

“It's rewarding to see a child's eyes light up with the gift of a new coat,” said Marc Reitter, president and CEO

of AEP Ohio. “It's not only the warmth the coat provides, but also the security of knowing that an entire community cares.

Patrol officers and Columbus Recreation

and Parks Community Center staff will begin distributing them to children in need identified by the department. shendrix@dispatch.com @sheridan120

ANGELA REIGHARD / COLUMBUS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY Columbus police officers and volunteers from the Starfish Assignment sort through hundreds of children’s coats at the Columbus Police 1 Precinct Substation in Westerville on Friday. This was the fourth annual coat drive hosted by the division.